Qatar

Qatar is a small peninsular country that juts into the Persian Gulf and whose only land border is with Saudi Arabia. Gas-rich, the country's citizens enjoy the highest per capita income in the world. Doha's capital is well known for its skyscrapers, at least one of which resembles a spicy pickle. Though sports like camel-racing and falconry are more traditional, Qatar has shown an interest in football (soccer) through its ownership of Paris-St. Germain and its sponsorship of FC Barcelona. It is building nine stadia in preparation for the 2022 World Cup, which it is hosting. Its media property Al Jazeera has been a bone of contention with other Gulf nations, as has its refusal to condemn the Muslim Brotherhood. After its neighbors decided during Ramadan in 2017 to cut diplomatic ties, many families living in Qatar found themselves with difficult choices, including potentially being forced to renounce their citizenship if they remained in Qatar.

In June 2017, John Ascroft's lobbying firm signed a $2.5 million contract to rehabilitate Qatar's image in the US by better publicizing steps taken in recent years to prosecute private citizens funding the Taliban and jihadi groups.